Editor 's note : This is an excerpt from the February issue of National Geographic magazine . You can read the full story here .

-LRB- National Geographic -RRB- -- Miles from the main roads , in rural Africa , soccer balls bounce unevenly . Playing fields are arid , lush , weedy , sandy -- any flattish space will do . Goalposts might be made of gathered mahogany or driftwood . Some feet are bare , others shod in fraying sneakers , boots , rubber sandals . Yet children kick and chase handmade , lopsided balls with skill and abandon , competing for pride and joy -- for the sheer pleasure of playing .

Has the `` beautiful game '' ever been lovelier ?

Jessica Hilltout does n't think so . In 2010 , when the World Cup came to Africa for the first time , the Belgium-based photographer set out to see what soccer looked like far from the bright lights and big stadiums . What she found -- over seven months , ten countries , and 12,500 miles -- was a grassroots game where passion trumped poverty , a do-it-yourself ethic prospered , and one ball could `` bring happiness to an entire village . ''

In the 30-odd soccer-loving localities she visited , in countries from South Africa to Ivory Coast , balls are spun into being with whatever 's at hand : rag or sock , tire or bark , plastic bag or inflated condom . Each might last days or months on a field of gravel or hard earth . Wherever Hilltout went , she swapped the store-bought balls she kept in her car for these `` ingenious little jewels , '' most of which were made by children .

Read the whole story at Nationalgeographic.com .

Are you a soccer lover who has improvised a game or its implements ? Share your experiences in the comments section below .

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In rural Africa , there is love for soccer but sometimes a lack of resources

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Children often make their own soccer balls from rubbish and rope

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DIY soccer can bring joy to an entire village , said photographer Jessica Hilltout